Best East Africa Safaris 2024 / 2025
What are the Big 5 animals?
Africa’s Big Five consist of the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopards and rhino. Their claim to fame is the critical role they play in shaping the eco-system.
What is the best time to travel to Kenya for safari?
Thanks to its location in the tropics, Kenya’s is blessed with an all year friendly weather. As such, wildlife viewing is good all year. The only difference is that some seasons are more rewarding than others. June to October is peak tourism season in most of the national parks. However, if you want to witness the great wildebeest migration in its full movement at Masai Mara, mid-July to October is the best bet.
If you wish to visit the country for wildlife safaris at a time when the crowds have thinned out, the short rainy season from November to December is a worthwhile option.
Although destination Kenya sits on the equator, it tends to be quite temperate. The main rainy seasons are from March to May and November to December. Parks that experience that most comfortable weather are those lying at an altitude of 5,000–6,500 feet above sea level like Nairobi National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve and Laikipia Plateau. As expected, Coastal areas are hotter. Thankfully, the refreshing ocean breeze maintains relatively comfortable conditions for most of the year.
In which part of Kenya does the great migration take place?
Wildebeest migration takes place in Maasai Mara National Reserve, a vast wildlife reserve of 700 miles in Narok County. It is the northern extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, a destination from which the animals come and return.
What is the great migration?
The Great Migration stands out as the biggest group movement of land mammals on our planet. During this event, over 2.5 million animals (most of which are mammals) temporarily shift from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park for Kenya’s Masai Mara. After about three months of stay in Kenya, the return back to their other home, Serengeti. This movement is mostly caused by a quest for fresh grass and food. Of the 2.5 million, the vast majority are the wildebeest, constituting 1.5 million. The rest are a mix of gazelles, zebras, and hordes of hungry predators in tow (lions, leopards, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas and black-backed jackals). The sheer scale of this occurrence and the intense encounters between predator and prey offer an extraordinary wildlife spectacle that cannot be missed.
What is the best time to see the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara?
While herds of wildebeest and zebra numbering hundreds of thousands can be seen during the dry season from July-October, rainfall and wildfires interfere with wildlife movement patterns. To ensure you register the best sightings of the iconic lines of animals stretched across the plains, our safaris will put you the best vantage points such as riverside.
What time is wildlife most active/best time of the day to see them?
Wildlife in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are usually in their most active state in the early morning and late evenings. Why? They are the coolest times of the day. This explains why most bushwalks, game drives and hot air balloon safaris are planned for this time. That aside, the lighting during this time is perfect for nature photography.
